Only Hope
by mrs clark gable
Summary: Theresa can't find anyone to help her, until she remembers that Fox is one of her best friends. They think about their relationship, or lack thereof, as baby Jane is treated. Oneshot ficlet.


**This is the first Passions fan fic I've posted and I'm pretty sure it's only going to be a one shot deal. I normally write Lumi on days, but it's not that different. I see a lot of similarities between Therox and Lumi, I can even see their storylines going similarly. This would make Ethan into Austin and Fox and Theresa into Lucas and Sami. Jane could even be Will in a few years. In fact one day I might run with that idea and write a crossover. Now if you don't watch days you're probably lost and confused, but I will say I hope it doesn't take Therox 11 years to end up together, too. It really bothered me yesterday when Theresa didn't think of calling Fox for help. It really bothers me that they barely have scenes together, so I fixed it myself. Now that I've sucessfully written the longest author's note ever, on with the story.**

With shaking hands, Theresa hung up the phone again. Mama, Luis, Whitney, Ethan, the taxi, 911, they were all busy. She needed help, Jane needed help, but no one was there. She could not let her baby die, not when she had fought so hard to keep her, but how could she possibly help. In despair she looked up to the ceiling, doing what every person does when they feel lost, looking to a higher power. "God help me," sprung from her lips without her realizing it.

She hated feeling helpless. It was the one feeling that completely overpowered her, in a bad way. Angrily, she swiped away tears of frustration. She had felt so helpless when Little Ethan had been taken away last spring. The courts had been paid off and she could do nothing, but then… yes! She knew what to do; she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of him before! He was her only hope.

…………………..

Fox walked quietly along the wharf. He had driven out here to get away from his thoughts, but it wasn't exactly working. Whitney was such a mystery sometimes. There were moments when he actually believed that she loved him, he was pretty sure they were making progress. But other times he just didn't know what to do.

He always thought that when he finally got her everything would fall into place. He'd never considered the possibility that he'd have to keep working _after_ Chad was out of the picture. She wasn't even excited about the baby. This was not how he had imagined things. Fox never thought he'd miss his playboy days, but at least then things were simple.

The shrill ring of his cell broke his concentration, "Hello?"

"Oh God, thank you!"

"Well, I don't know if I'd call myself _God_, but we are both pretty awesome."

"I don't have time for your ego right now, Fox. I really need your help. It's an emergency."

"Theresa, calm down. What's going on?"

"My baby, Jane, she's sick. She's so sick! I'm all alone and the wheelchair…oh, God! 911was busy, how can 911 be busy? They're supposed to help people, how can they help if they don't answer the damn phone! You have to help me, you're my only hope."

"Don't worry, I'll be right there," panicked, Fox didn't even hang up before he started to run to his car.

…………………

"Theresa! Theresa?"

Heaving a huge sigh of relief, she called out for Fox. When he rushed into the room, his hair all mussed up and cheeks rosy from the cold, it was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen in her life, "We have to get to the hospital, now!"

"We will, I promise. I'll just get Little Ethan and we'll be in the ER in no time."

The drive passed by in a blur for both. Theresa was lost in her panic and Fox was focused on not crashing the car, at the speed he was driving it was a good idea to be careful. It would be pointless trying to get to the ER if he wrapped them around a tree and killed everyone.

The Emergency Room was a whirl of action. Jane was taken to be treated, but the doctors wouldn't allow Theresa to go with her. Fox had tried using the Crane name, she had tried crying, not that she had to fake her tears, but the doctors wouldn't budge. Giving up they retreated to the waiting room.

That was where they were now. Gently, Theresa brushed the hair off of Little Ethan's sleeping forehead. He was exhausted, so much so that he had immediately curled up on the small couch and Fox had covered his younger brother with his coat.

The waiting was taking its toll on Theresa. She wished she could pace, but Gwen had made that impossible. She needed to occupy herself somehow, but no opportunity presented itself. She looked to Fox, but all he offered was a reassuring smile. She tried to smile back, but they both knew it was forced.

Fox watched Theresa fidget with her hands, but couldn't think of anything comforting to say. How do you comfort a parent afraid of loosing their newborn? He wasn't a parent, he didn't know. With a sinking heart, Fox realized that he was going to be a father, but he just didn't feel like one. And he defintiely didn't feel like a Dad, which was completely different than a father.Whitney never involved him in anything baby related, it was almost like she didn't want him to be connected to the baby.

Pushing those thoughts away, he placed a tender hand on Theresa's shoulder, "She's going to be okay."

"I hope so. I don't want my baby to die."

"Of course you don't, but why are you even thinking that way? We both know a child of yours is going to be strong and resilient. She's going to make it through this, you'll see."

"You're right, I know you're right. I just can't stop thinking about the 'what if's'. What if I hadn't been able to reach anyone? What if it's too late? What if she dies? If I could walk this would have been fixed so much faster."

"Don't think like that! You did reach someone. You've got me. You have to know I'll always be here."

"We haven't exactly talked in awhile, Fox."

It was true. Last year they had been joined at the hip, but he never really got to see her anymore. He had just been so focused on Whitney. Resentfully, a little voice reminded him that it wasn't his entire fault; she had been preoccupied with Ethan, too. With a heavy heart he recognized how much he missed his best friend. He still considered her that, no matter what.

"We've been busy," was his feeble excuse.

"Yeah, busy, what with me giving birth and being stabbed. And you being all in… love with Whitney."

Theresa tried not to sound too hurt mentioning his relationship, but it stung. He had used her to forget about Whitney; embittered she wondered if he had imagined his 'mystery woman' when they had made love. Mentally she sighed, she had used him, too. They had used each other. Still, a persistent voice reminded, she hadn't imagined anyone else that night. Shaking away the thoughts she wasn't supposed to be having, Theresa looked at her son again.

Fox desperately wanted to reach out to her somehow. He needed her to feel like they were still connected, he needed to feel like they were still connected. It was too depressing to think they had drifted apart. He moved his hand to take hers, but the doctor arrived. They were informed of Jane's improvement and went to see her right away, Fox carrying Little Ethan to make sure he didn't wake up.

……………………….

Theresa checked over every inch of her baby girl for the third time in an hour before turning back to Fox, "She's really okay!"

Her bright smile was contagious and he felt himself smiling more than he had in months. He much preferred this happy Theresa to the scared, hopeless one of an hour before, "I told you she would be," the cocky smile always at the ready arrived, "And we both know I'm always right."

"Sure, whatever you say, Fox. I'll agree with anything you say right now, I'm so relieved that Ethan's and my baby is all right."

He tried not to let the mention of Ethan smart, but the betrayal was still too new, the wound still fresh. Fox tried really hard not to think of the implications of this baby being Ethan's with Theresa. Years of dulling his brain and hiding from painful thoughts with alcohol and sex had helped, but he couldn't always hide from these thoughts.

In the dark of the night, when no one was awake and he was alone with his mind, it would come out from the tightly locked corner in his mind. It wasn't supposed to bother him. He was with Whitney and Fox loved her, he was sure of it, but it bothered him a lot. More than he was comfortable with.

"Can you say 'hello' to Uncle Fox?" Theresa picked up a tiny baby hand to wave at him.

Fox watched the baby coo at him and his heart melted. Maybe he could forgive Jane for being Ethan's daughter. He did like the sound of Uncle Fox and anyone connected to Theresa was important to him. The teeny girl grabbed the air near his hand and captured his heart instead. He felt himself fall in love with this little person and knew that they would always have a special connection.

Theresa watched Fox bond with her daughter and felt a tug at her heart. He looked right with Jane, he was really great with Little Ethan, too. Bitterly, she thought of how lucky Whitney was; too bad she didn't appreciate it. Fox was going to be an amazing father.

Julian barely acknowledged Little Ethan and Ethan had left her alone with two small children in a wheelchair. He wasn't concerned about his daughter at all. She almost-almost wished that Fox had been Jane's father, but caught herself in time. That thought was too disloyal for words; she had to be loyal to Ethan and fate.

Hours later they were still in the hospital, but much calmer. Jane and Little Ethan were sleeping peacefully and they sat in companionable silence. She shifted in her wheelchair to rest her head on his shoulder and Fox felt an unexplainable swell of his heart at the gesture.

"I can't thank you enough for coming to save me."

"You don't have to thank me. You're important to me, I always want to be here for you."

Theresa smiled a watery smile, "I hope so. I've really missed my best friend."

Fox reached over and took her hand, squeezing it soothingly. He couldn't help thinking of how soft her hands were. She couldn't help thinking that this was the safest she had felt in a long time.

"I've really missed you, too, Resa."


End file.
